


The King's Courtesan

by darkrose



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - BDSM, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Fingering, Anal Plug, Anal Sex, Collars, Court Politics, Dom/sub, Ignis is 16 at the beginning, M/M, Nipple Play, Oral Sex, Paparazzi, Rimming, Spanking, Submissive Ignis Scientia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-07-16 11:45:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16085471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkrose/pseuds/darkrose
Summary: After resisting the Council's demands for years, King Regis finally relents and agrees to choose a young submissive to serve as the royal courtesan. Fidelis Scientia puts his nephew Ignis, newly arrived from Tenebrae, forward as a candidate for the position.





	The King's Courtesan

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this prompt](https://ffxv-kinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/5690.html?thread=10744634#cmt10744634) on the FFXV kinkmeme.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In less than a week, the candidates for the position of royal courtesan will be presented to the king at a formal ball. Ignis is ready for it, but his uncle still has some concerns.

With the royal ball in less than a week, there hadn't been time for Ignis to have an outfit made for the occasion. Instead, he'd chosen the nicest suit he'd brought with him from Tenebrae and purchased a new shirt from a boutique recommended by a friend of his uncle's who had a son around Ignis' age. Upon hearing the name Scientia and seeing his wrist, the shop clerk had correctly guessed the occasion, and presented Ignis with a shirt that he assured him would be perfect for the ball. Ignis thought the cut of the neck was rather low, but the scarf would cover it enough for propriety's sake.

"I like it," his uncle said. "The light gray is an excellent choice; I expect most candidates to be in as close to black as they can get away with, so you'll definitely stand out. And the scarf is perfect."

The length of sheer Accordan silk was dyed in varying shades of pale green. Ignis had arranged it to cover the skin exposed by the shirt. He could see why the look was considered provocative, with just the thin silk hiding his throat and the back of his neck. 

"I know it seems risqué by our standards, but I've read that it's the thing in Insomnia now for uncollared subs to wear these," Lunafreya had told him, "Also, it's pretty and fun, and it's okay for you to want things like that sometimes." She'd kissed his cheek, and smiled like it was a normal gift rather than a going-away-forever present.

Fidelis looked away, and sighed. "I know I've asked you this before, but…are you sure you're willing to proceed? I truly won't be angry if you say no."

Ignis suppressed a sigh of his own. He appreciated his uncle's concern for his well-being, and he certainly didn't wish to be ungrateful, but the constant need to affirm his decision rankled a bit, as though he wasn't capable of making up his own mind. 

"If I may make a suggestion," he said, "allow me to change out of this suit, and then perhaps we can discuss this further?" His uncle nodded, allowing Ignis to make a graceful exit from the room. 

Upstairs in the room that had been designated as his, Ignis undressed and carefully hung up each piece of the ensemble. Satisfied that everything was in order, he put on what passed for casual clothing for a submissive serving at Fenestala Manor: dark slacks and a high-collared shirt with long sleeves that buttoned just above the wrist to clearly display the silver wrist cuff that marked his designation for the world to see. It felt odd; in Lucis, submissives wore their cuff on the right wrist instead of on the left, as they did in Tenebrae.

Ignis was fairly sure he couldn't be homesick for a place that hadn't felt like home for years. In the time it took to read the letter with his test results, he'd gone from the promising young scion of two noble families to a crushing disappointment, only useful to Houses Lux Verre and Scientia insofar as an advantageous marriage could be arranged for him. His parents had scarcely spoken to him since he'd gone into Lunafreya's service, and they'd kept him away from his little sister after he was designated, like she might catch submissiveness from being around him. The staff at Fenestala Manor had been kind to him, and Luna was like the older sibling he'd never had, but Ravus was there and when he wasn't, Ignis was always afraid of what he'd do when he came back. 

Despite all of that, Tenebrae was familiar. Ignis knew his role and what was expected of him as a well brought-up submissive. In Insomnia, where his coloring and accent marked him as an outsider, he wasn't sure how subs were supposed to behave. He was still trying to learn what rules applied here, and his uncle's reluctance to address anything directly was making that process difficult.

He returned downstairs to find his uncle's steward, a young man named Vida, placing the tea service on a table. Ignis returned the other sub's acknowledging nod before taking a seat. Ignis immediately reached for the teapot and poured for his uncle first, then himself, letting his uncle take a sip before lifting the cup to his own lips. Then he folded his hands in his lap, the perfect picture of submissive decorum as he waited for his uncle to get to the point.

Fidelis set down his cup. This time, he was able to meet his nephew's eyes. "Ignis, I want to be clear that I'm happy to have you here in Insomnia. Frankly, I wish your father had tried to contact me as soon as you were tested—I still can't believe they do it so young there—but I'm so grateful that Lady Lunafreya wrote to me."

"As am I," Ignis said. True, a part of him would always be furious that Luna hadn't told him what she was planning, but had allowed him fret for weeks, terrified that Ravus drag him off to Niflheim. That was a minor complaint given that she'd arranged for him to be safe behind the Lucian Wall, as far from Ulldor as possible. And on that subject… "Forgive me for being so forward, Uncle Fidelis, but…may I assume the circumstances you described earlier have not changed? His Majesty requires a younger...companion to help him carry the burden of the burden of maintaining the Wall?"

Fidelis seemed to find the pattern on his saucer extremely interesting. "Yes," he said finally. "It's still true. So we're stuck with this farce. I'm responsible for you, and I feel like a Six-damned pimp, trying to sell you to a man who's old enough to be your father."

"It's a logical decision. I'm a submissive from a good family who's loyal to the crown, and I'll be seventeen in a few weeks. I spent two years as personal aide to the Oracle; I'm used to working for a powerful dominant. I'm a suitable candidate, and to be honest, it would be surprising if you didn't put me forward."

Fidelis laughed. "So blunt for a sub. Are you quite sure you don't want to be re-tested?"

Ignis tried not to frown. His uncle had raised the topic when they first met, explaining that the designation exams in Lucis were more nuanced than the Tenebraen versions. Ignis had shrugged. He didn't understand why it made a difference if you were mildly or strongly submissive; either way, you had to wear a wrist cuff or a collar and let other people run your life.

"I'm just teasing you a bit—I'm sorry. But you're right, Six help us all. Regis needs someone. I suppose the fact that he had to be practically dragged into it by the Council is better than a king who was constantly chasing young subs for his bed."

He gave Ignis a long, level look. "Still, you need to understand that this isn't just for a few years. Since the Wall went up, the king's submissive is been more than just a…companion. If you're chosen, there's a magical ceremony of some sort—I don't know the details—but it binds you to crown and crystal for the rest of your life. King Mors' courtesan still serves Regis. Er—not in the same capacity, of course. Is that something you're prepared to face?"

Ignis took a sip of his tea. "When I was appointed as Lady Lunafreya's aide, it was with the expectation that so long as I performed my duties satisfactorily, my service would be permanent."

"Well, certainly, but I would hope that didn't include—I mean, she _is_ the Oracle!" 

Ignis had to fight back a laugh at his uncle's expression. He adored Luna, and he knew better than most that she wasn't the austere, untouchable living goddess that most people needed her to be, but even if he'd been interested in women, he couldn't imagine feeling sexual desire for her, of all people.

"No, most definitely not," he assured his uncle. "However, I do understand what it means to be in service to someone who has a greater calling."

Ignis leaned forward, reached across the table and placed his right hand over his uncle's. "You _asked_ me. You didn't order me; you gave me a choice. And my choice is that I want to do this. "

If anything, his uncle looked even more distressed than he had earlier. "Ah…yes. About that. In her first letter, Lady Lunafreya mentioned that you had joined her retinue after an…incident…"

Ignis sat back in his chair, folded his hands in his lap, and stared down at them. "It was minor, all things considered," he said, his voice barely audible. 

"I find that difficult to believe, given that it apparently involved an Imperial general. Look at me, Ignis." For the first time since he'd stepped off the ferry at Galdin Quay, Ignis heard sharpness in his uncle's voice. He looked up; Fidelis' expression was stern, but not angry.

"Ignis, I know this can't be easy for you. I'm not asking out of any prurient interest, believe me. But while the choice of a courtesan is ultimately His Majesty's, the Council will likely wish to interview you, especially after…" Fidelis cleared his throat. "There may be some concerns, shall we say, given that you were born and raised in Tenebrae, despite us being an old Lucian family. Some members of the Council will see this as an attempt by the royalist faction to influence policy—"

Ignis raised an eyebrow. "Well…yes. I would assume they will be putting their own candidates forward for that purpose."

Fidelis' smile was a knife-edge. "Oh, of course, but that won't stop them criticizing me for the same thing. Hypocrisy is hardly a sin in politics." The smile vanished. "My point is that they will press, and when it's discovered that you were, ah, molested—"

"It wasn't—he didn't _violate_ me," Ignis protested, fighting to control the surge of panic. "He struck me twice; it didn't even hurt that much. It wasn't that long after I was designated and I wasn't used to how I was supposed to act—" He reached for his cup and his uncle placed a hand over his.

"Ignis, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause you distress, and I certainly would never blame you for anything that happened. For Shiva's sake, you were a child! Your parents should have—" Fidelis took a deep breath. "I'm making a mess of this, aren't I? Please, continue when you're ready."

Ignis took a sip of his tea. "It was a while ago, but it's still a bit unsettling to think about," he admitted. "As I said, it was only seven weeks after I received my exam results. I was coming home from my dance lesson—"

"Dance lesson?" His uncle sounded incredulous. Ignis shrugged.

"Most of my old tutors were dismissed when I was designated, since I wouldn't be taking the exams for university in Insomnia. No point going to all that trouble for a submissive, after all." He was proud of himself for keeping the bitterness in his tone to a minimum. 

Fidelis stared at him. "Is that really how things work in Tenebrae? Submissives aren't worth educating?"

Ignis felt a sudden, absurd urge to defend his birthplace. "It's not all that bad. There were…special circumstances. Rumors had been going around that the Empire was going to start conscripting Tenebraeans for their military. The plan was to send me to Lucis and sit the exams for Insomnia University. I would have been very young for it, but my parents thought if I could get accepted, it would be safer there for me. That's why they had me tested early. When I turned out to be submissive, it didn't matter as much. It wasn't like the Empire was going to have subs in their army, not when they have the MT's."

"So good of my brother to tell me about his plan," Fidelis said. "Not that I would have objected to getting you out from under the Empire's thumb, regardless of your designation, but you'd think he'd at least have tried to get word to me—I suppose it doesn't matter now. Please, continue."

Ignis sipped his tea, trying to collect himself so he could relate the story as dispassionately as possible. "As I left the studio, I saw a man in an Imperial uniform talking to a sub who wasn't much older than I was. She was pressed up against a wall, and he was looming over her and touching her hair, and I didn't stop to think, I just went up to him and said, 'This is Tenebrae, not Niflheim, and you can't just treat submissives any way you like.' And then he hit me. I didn't recognize him at the time, but later I learned that he was General Ulldor, the Imperial governor."

He didn't feel it necessary to tell his uncle the details that were seared into his memory: how Ulldor had struck him across the face with one gauntleted hand and he'd tasted blood in his mouth, how he'd fallen and Ulldor had kicked him in the ribs while he was down and Leila—he'd learned her name later—had taken off running, and how a crowd had gathered as Ulldor yanked him to his feet and backhanded him again, the murmurs growing louder until a strange man in an elaborate coat and black hat had stepped forward and shook his head and said, "Really, Caligo? A child?" and Ulldor had shoved Ignis away, growling "I'll remember you, boy," as he stomped away. Nor did Ignis want to mention his parents' hysterics, alternating between worrying that his face would be permanently scarred, and reprimanding him for getting involved in what obviously hadn't been his business and attracting Imperial attention.

"As it happened, the girl he'd been menacing was the housekeeper's daughter at Fenestala Manor. She told Lady Lunafreya, and that same night the Oracle herself came to visit us. She healed me, and she offered me a place in her service, saying that I'd be safe there." Much later, Luna had told him about the hundreds of little cruelties Ulldor had subjected her to before she'd ascended to her position; even he hesitated to lay hands on the Oracle. 

His uncle's mouth was pressed into a thin, tight line, but thankfully, he didn't comment other than to ask, "What changed, that she felt compelled to contact me?"

"I turned sixteen," Ignis explained. "That's the age of majority for submissives in Tenebrae. General Ulldor had been recalled to Gralea, but…" Ignis bit his lip. "Uncle Fidelis, I can tell you the reason I had to leave, but I must ask you to keep this in the strictest confidence, for it's not entirely my story to tell."

"Of course, Ignis," his uncle said. Ignis laced his fingers together to keep his hands from shaking.

"While Lady Lunafreya is carrying out her duties as Oracle without regard to nationality, her brother has chosen a different path. Prince Ravus has joined the Imperial army."

Fidelis sucked in a breath. "There have been rumors, but…I assumed it was rubbish. The idea that he'd join forces with the people who murdered his mother seemed ridiculous."

"Ravus hates the Empire, but he hates Lucis more," Ignis said. "Most of his loathing is directed at the royal family, but he frequently expresses disdain for all Lucians. My Lucian blood was enough to make him dislike me; he frequently told Luna—Lady Lunafreya—that I was stupid and useless and that she could easily find a more suitable aide. Then he said…he suggested…" Ignis swallowed. "He wanted to give me to General Ulldor."

 _"What?!"_ Silverware rattled as Fidelis slammed his palm down on the table, and Ignis flinched. His uncle was talking but all he could hear were Ravus and Luna's voices. 

_"Ravus Nox Fleuret, you did not just say that!"_

_"Why not? It'll make Ulldor happy, and I can persuade him to lift some of the restrictions on you, and on our people."_

_"Ignis is—_

_"—Lucian! His father's Lucian. You told me yourself they were going to send him to Insomnia, to hide behind their damn Wall—"_

_"Get out."_

_"What?"_

_"You heard me. I don't want to see you until you're ready to apologize to Ignis and act like a prince of Tenebrae instead of an Imperial thug."_

"Ignis?" He felt a hand on his shoulder; when he looked up, his uncle was standing next to his chair and looking worried. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to go off like that. It's alright. You're safe here, no matter what happens with—no matter what." 

Ignis took a long, shuddering breath. "It's fine, Uncle Fidelis. Everything worked out, and I'm grateful to you and to Lady Lunafreya. Forgive me for being so emotional."

"You don't have anything to apologize for, my boy." Fidelis patted his shoulder and sat down again. "I do have to ask, however—after everything that you've been through, why are you so intend on becoming Regis' courtesan? Not the logical reasons; I'm asking why you want this?"

Ignis paused before answering, mostly for effect because he'd been expecting this question and had his answer prepared. "Because I understand how important it is. I've lived under Imperial rule, and I know that Lucis is the last bastion, the only thing keeping the whole world from being under their shadow. I can't serve in the military, but this is one way that I can contribute to the fight against the Empire, and give something back to the place that gave me sanctuary." 

It was all true, even if it wasn't the full truth. For a submissive, ambition was a negative; it implied sneakiness and manipulation, whispers and rumormongering and stabs in the back. But his designation wasn't a magic spell that suddenly changed everything about him. His parents and tutors had expected great things of Ignis, and he'd expected great things of himself. If being the king's courtesan—or concubine, rather—was the only way he could make a difference in the world, then that's what he would become.

Fidelis smiled. "You might be surprised about joining the Crownsguard, at least, but it sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this. Just know that whether or not Regis chooses you—and I think he'd be insane not to; you're perfect—I'm very proud of you, Ignis." He picked up his cup, then touched the teapot and frowned. "Water's gone cold. Let me have Vida bring a fresh pot, and then I'll tell you more about His Majesty."

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be just smut, but it kind of got away from me.


End file.
